'Yenda a hidden gem': hundreds attend NSW State Metal Detecting Championships

People travelled from as far as Coffs Harbour and South Australia for the annual feature, with over 80 both young and old taking part in the challenge.

In the end it was competitor Nikki Miller who took the top gong as overall championship.

Meanwhile there were plenty of prizes won and the event gave Yenda and surrounds a strong economical and tourism boost, with accommodation outlets booked and foot traffic plentiful.

State championships founder Mark Richards said people travelled from as far as 10 hours away for the event.

"It was bigger than last year; I couldn't be more pleased with how well it went and the positive effect it had for our community," Mr Richards said.

"Nikki did an impressive job and certainly deserved the win at the weekend, showing the boys how it was done.

"Meanwhile we gave away $1500 worth of gold tours to a lucky person who had their first time swinging a detector at the championship. They did exceptionally well," Mr Richards said.

"There were around 20 more competitors than last year, include many newbies which was super cool to see.

"Many came along with detectors learn about how to use them so plenty of people went away with plenty of knowledge and memories," Mr Richards said.

In addition, funds were raised for the Griffith War Memorial while the Yenda Diggers Club was never far from everyone's mind.

"We held an auction one night which raised $1800 - up from $1100 last year - for the Griffith War Memorial; that's a great boost," Mr Richards said.

"Volunteers put a lot of hard work into the museum and I have a lot of respect for them. I wanted to help in anyway we can.

"For me prospecting is about preserving history, and I feel we have that in common with those who run museums and look after RSLs," he said.

"The closure of the Diggers Club also brought many to town; everyone mentioned how saddened they had been to hear the news.

"However, it was good to see our community reap the benefits of the weekend, with plenty of produce sold, rooms booked out at the Yenda Hotel and caravans a plenty. I even had a few people camping in swags in my backyard," he said.

"Many called Yenda a hidden gem so hopefully we can have the championships here again next year."